EDC Survival Essentials: 8 Items for the Prepared Citizen

The items you EDC (everyday carry) will be dictated by the environment you find yourself in on most days. Local laws, environmental factors, utility needs, perceived threats to your loved ones and self, and many more variables will determine your personal EDC loadout. Our philosophy for EDC is survival-based with practicality and utility in mind. The following are items we deem essential to have on you person every day:

Knife

A knifeless man is a lifeless man. In a survival situation, a knife is a priceless asset. You can build shelter, fire, tools, process game, and use as a force multiplier to combat attacking wild animals. We recommend a durable fixed-blade knife for these extreme situations, but it may be more practical for some to carry a nice folding pocket knife. It is important to choose a blade that you can commit to carrying every day because, in a SHTF situation, you will only have at your disposal the items on your person.

Fire

The ability to start a fire is essential to your survival. Regulating body temperature, purifying water, cooking food, and warding off the boogeyman at night are some of the reasons why you need to always have a fire-starting kit on you. I recommend carrying a simple inexpensive Bic lighter with duct tape wrapped around it for extra utility and a ferro rod in your EDC loadout. Now having two ways to start a fire may seem redundant but trust me, if you find yourself in a survival situation you will thank yourself for this redundancy.

Water

“The rules of 3” is a concept you need to keep in mind. It stands for 3 minutes without air, 3 days without water, and 3 weeks without food” – this is the duration of time a human being can survive without said nourishment. You will die if you’re without water for just 3 days. We recommend a stainless steel single-walled water bottle. It is durable, easy to wash/maintain, and can be boiled over a fire to purify water in a pinch.

Medical Kit

The average human being will bleed out and die in just 2 minutes with a severed femoral artery (leg) and 5 minutes with a severed brachial artery (arm). You don’t have to be a soldier in combat to severe these arteries. They can be severed in a car accident or from an animal attack. Having a tourniquet in your EDC kit can make the difference between your loved one bleeding out and dying or living to enjoy another day. A tourniquet, wound packing gauze, and a bandana are the items I recommend having in your EDC loadout to prevent loss of life from massive bleeding. You can also carry band-aids, hand sanitizer, Tylenol, Pepto, and various other medical comforts that you deem useful in your day-to-day activities.

Flashlight

Yes, your phone does have a light on it, but it is weak and slow to deploy. I carry a small flashlight about the size of my index finger that has a maximum output of 1000 Lumens with a back button to activate the light quickly. A flashlight can be your first line of defense, shining it in dark areas before entering to identify threats and dangerous obstacles. High-lumen output with swift activation of a back button can be used to disorientate an attacker for a few seconds to give you the tactical advantage to either run away or strike first in self-defense if given no other option.

Multi-tool

A solid multitool can come in handy in a pinch. It won’t do any job great, but it will do most jobs decently. Some key features to look for in a multi-tool are pliers/wire cutters, a saw, file, awl, screwdriver, and a blade to act as a backup to your main knife.

Battery pack

Having the ability to recharge your phone or flashlight is extremely useful. It can also mean the difference between having no way to contact people for help in an emergency or being able to see in dark environments.

Fanny Pack

Now I understand this list seems like a lot to carry every day and you are probably wondering how I fit these items in my pockets. The answer to that question is I don’t. I carry them in a fanny pack. That’s right, they are coming back in style like 1980! Fanny packs are very useful for carrying your EDC loadout and can be worn like a sling with the bag centered on your chest for easy access to all these items.